


The Split

by kl125



Series: Saving Face [3]
Category: World Wrestling Entertainment
Genre: Breakup, First Fight, Jealousy, M/M, Makeup Sex, Seth's a brat and Dean is confused
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-05
Updated: 2018-09-21
Packaged: 2019-06-20 23:13:48
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 14,650
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15544299
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kl125/pseuds/kl125
Summary: Six months in and things are still going great for Seth and Dean...that is until Seth is faced head on with Dean's past and he lets the Green Eyed Monster get the best of him.





	1. Chapter 1

"Tell your boy toy I said hi!" Marek shouted at him as Seth made his way out of the gym and to his car.  Turning around he gave his best friend the finger, making him laugh at him. 

Marek knew how much both Seth and Dean hated his nickname for him, but he persisted with it.  The fact that Dean was two years older than Seth seemed to mean nothing to Marek and even though they knew Marek was just teasing them, Seth knew Dean was a bit sensitive when it came to people implying he'd hooked up with him for his money. 

Sighing, Seth slid into the car and made his way back to their condo.  Six months into their relationship, Seth had been surprised when Dean suddenly asked him to move in with him, but he'd eagerly accepted the offer and the pair were out the very next day looking at apartments and condos that were somewhere in the middle of their two price-ranges. 

As Seth pulled up in front of their home, he found a smile working its way onto his tired mouth.  Today had been a long work day and he was exhausted, but just the thought of the place he now shared with his boyfriend was doing wonders in relaxing him and making him feel at peace.

Sliding out of the car, he stepped inside shouting, "Babe, I'm home!"

"Go get out of those clothes and join me in the kitchen," Dean shouted back.  "Dinner is almost ready."

Dean's domestic side had been the biggest surprise once they'd begun cohabiting together.  Dean's work hours for both jobs was mostly in the evenings and with Seth gone most of the day at the gym, he'd been pleasantly pleased when he found himself coming home to a spotless house and more often than not, a fabulous home-cooked meal.

As Seth walked back downstairs in a t-shirt and sweats, he grinned as he walked into the kitchen and found his boyfriend jiggling his ass to the music playing as he set the table.  Sliding up behind him, Seth captured him in his arms, laying his head on his shoulder and giving him a squeeze before leaning up and kissing his cheek, "Whatever you're making smells great!"

Leaning back for a proper kiss, Dean then pulled away as he moved back to the stove, "Chicken Parmesan.  I remember you mentioning liking it.  It's not something I've ever made before so we'll see how it turns out," as he spoke, he filled their plates with the vegetables and potatoes he'd made and then slid the chicken on the plates before sliding one down in front of a now seated Seth.  "Be honest!"

Taking a bite, Seth's eyes closed in delight as he moaned appreciatively, "Damn, that's good!"

Eyes lighting up, Dean grabbed a bite of his own, nodding as he tasted it, "You're right, not too bad!" 

The pair ate in silence for a bit before Dean leaned back and asked, "So how was work?"

Seth rolled his eyes, "A nightmare!  The systems went down so we were signing people up by hand.  Then one of the machines needed repairs and our crossfit teacher called in sick so I had to step in and run the class.  Marek was making me nervous with his own anxiety and to make matters worse, Tony and his guy are on the outs so he decided to stop in and try to flirt with me.  Then to top the day off, my father called to invite us to my grandfather's birthday party next weekend."

Dean reached over to take his hand, rubbing his knuckles gently as he asked, "And I take it that's a bad thing?"

Seth just stared at him knowingly, "What do you think?  It's a party that my grandfather throws for himself.  He invites half the world and then shows off his wealth and waits for everyone to heap praise and gifts on him.  I despise these things!"

"Don't go," Dean shrugged.

Seth just rolled his eyes at him, "And have my family bringing it up the rest of the year?  Yeah, no thanks!"

Dean shrugged again, "Then we'll go for a bit and then we'll sneak out when no one is paying attention and go do something actually fun."

Seth found himself smiling at his boyfriend's words, "I love you," he said leaning down to kiss Dean's palm.

Dean looked at him in amusement, "Uh, love you too, but what brought that on?"

Seth just laughed at him, "Because you're the only one who could make this horrible, bad day better.  Alright, we'll go the party, but I'm warning you, my grandfather has just been waiting to meet you and Randy will be there and he's going to take every opportunity to try to put you down and push your buttons."

Dean just stared at him, "And?  He should know better than to try to mess with Dean Ambrose!  Besides, it's way past time I met the rest of the family."

Relaxing for the first time all day, the pair ended up snuggled on the couch watching a movie and chatting quietly.  Snuggling up closer to him, Seth murmured, "We should go out tomorrow night.  After today, I intend to scoot out of work early and since you're not scheduled for a fight or at the bar, we can enjoy the evening.  It's been a minute since we've been out between the move and work."

Playing with Seth's hair, Dean frowned, "I'd love to, but I have plans.  You're more than welcome to come with though.  My friend Jimmy is in town and wants to meet up at the bar so I'm meeting him and Ro for drinks."

Seth pouted up at him, "Can't you see him another time?"

Dean shook his head, "I don't think he's here very long this time.  Seriously, come with me and invite the guys.  It's been awhile since we've all hung out."

Shrugging, Seth agreed, "Sure.  I'll text them now," as he sent out a group text, he found his mind wandering through all of the info he'd learned about Dean in their time together, but his mind drew a blank at Jimmy's name.  "I don't remember you ever mentioning him before.  Is he someone you grew up with?"

Dean nodded, his eyes glued to the television screen, "Sort of.  We met junior year of high school and we dated for four years before we broke it off."

Seth's head swung up quickly as he looked at Dean in alarm, "He's your ex?"

Dean looked up warily, "Yeah, is that a problem?"

Seth shrugged, "I guess not.  I'm just surprised is all.  His name has never come up and I was under the impression that you didn't do relationships before me."

"I didn't do relationships after Jimmy.  Things were pretty messy and I didn't feel like getting back into anything like that again, but you broke through all my barriers," Dean winked at him, voice full of amusement.

Seth just frowned at him, "It ended badly?"

Dean shrugged, his eyes falling away as he shared, "I told you that I had a rough childhood.  Let's just say that I was hooked up with the wrong crowd and I dragged Jimmy into that, but he went a lot further and darker than I ever did and when he started dragging me along with him, I managed to get out.  I'd pushed Roman away to hang out with these other guys, but he didn't hold it against me.  He was right there every step of the way, making sure I didn't fall back into old habits.  He gave me a job and I got off the drugs that Jimmy and I had both become dependent on and I met a couple of guys who were into fighting and they got me hooked up on the amateur circuit."

"But you remained friends with Jimmy?" Seth asked with a hint of disbelief.

"No, I relapsed a couple of times because I went back trying to help him.  These guys were getting him involved in other criminal activities and I still cared about him so I tried to help him out, but Roman helped me see that by hanging on I was just giving us both false hope so I walked away completely.  It wasn't until a few years later that Jimmy cleaned up his act and came to see me. He apologized and we've remained friends ever since."

"Oh," Seth stated, his eyes zooming everywhere but at Dean.  "So was he your first?"

"First what?" Dean asked with a smirk.  "I'd had sex with plenty of girls before then and I'd given and received some blowjobs, but I hadn't gone all the way with a guy yet if that's what you mean.  Why?"

"Just wondering," Seth mumbled.

Dean's eyes suddenly lit up at his tone as he leaned over to kiss Seth's cheek, "Aww, you're jealous!  Babe, you have nothing to worry about: it's you I'm in love with and you I want to wake up to and go to bed with every night.  Jimmy's a good guy and a good friend, nothing more, nothing less."

Relaxing back into his arms, Seth said, "Okay, just making sure."

"Does that mean you'll come?" Dean asked.

Seth nodded against him, "Yeah, I'll be there, with or without my friends."

With another grin, Dean suddenly stood up, swinging Seth over his shoulders and giving his ass a swat, "Good, now how about we end this evening on a high note?  Let's go put our hot tub to good use!"

...

The next night as they got ready to go out, Seth couldn't help but notice that Dean seemed pretty excited about it.  He had been walking around humming to himself and he was practically bouncing by the time Seth threw his hair up in a pony tail and grabbed his keys.

As they made their way out to the car, Seth told himself to stop acting like a jealous idiot and to get himself together.  He was still friends with a couple of guys he'd dated in the past and there was no reason that Dean shouldn't be.

As he pulled out onto the street, he moved one of his hands from the steering wheel and over to Dean's, drawing it into his own, making Dean smile over at him, "How long has it been since you've seen Jimmy?" he asked.

Dean shrugged, "It's been awhile.  Maybe a year or so.  A few years back his brother got him a job out in New York and he's been living there ever since."

"What's he like?" Seth asked as he switched lanes.

Dean laughed hysterically, "Jimmy is uh, unique, I guess that's the best word for him!  It's best to just let you soak in the experience for yourself and form your own opinion," he shared.

Looking out the window, Seth gave a little sigh, but didn't push the issue.

By the time they pulled up in the bar lot, he'd once again decided to do everything he could to make the evening a enjoyable one. 

As they headed inside, they were met with a loud shout from Roman, "Uce, over here!"  They both shared a smirk, realizing Roman had already been imbibing his liquor stocks. 

As they headed over, Dean stopped to chat with their newest bartender, Corey Graves, a tattoo artist who had been looking to pick up a little cash on the side.  He'd fit right in with the rest of the staff and he was able to work most of the hours that Dean wasn't, freeing Roman up to concentrate on the place's daily business.

Moving on, he and Seth made their way over to Roman's table, sitting down as leaned over and ruffled Dean's hair before turning to Seth and holding his fist out to bump his own, "What's up Uce?  Been a minute since you've been in here."

Seth frowned, "Yeah, business has really picked up at the gym and it hasn't left me much free time.  We're actually going to be doing some interviews this week and hopefully bringing on a couple of people who can pick up the slack and give Marek and I a break..." Seth's voice trailed off as the door to the bar slammed open and a loud, obnoxious voice boomed across the room, "The party can start fuckers, Jimmy's here!"

Looking over, Seth was taken aback by the man strolling towards them with a wide smile on his face: skin-tight black jeans, tight black tank top that showed off his muscular arms, a shitload of necklaces and sparkling earrings in each ear and black kohl lining his eyelids, making his eyelashes pop out and giving him a slightly feminine look.  To top it all off, his spiked black hair was lined with pink tops.

As he hit the table, Dean stood up and the man opened his arms and yelled, "Mox, get your ass over here!"

Seth's jaw ached as he ground his teeth at the sight of his boyfriend enfolding himself in the twink's arms.  To make matters worse, Roman was now on his feet and greeting the man like he was his missing best friend, "JJ, about time you came to see us fucker!"

Seth was sure that with Dean and Jimmy's past that he could at least count on Roman to hate the guy, but apparently that wasn't the case.  As the trio sat down, Dean turned towards Seth with a smile, "Jimmy, I want you to meet my boyfriend Seth.  Seth, this is my oldest friend and the biggest troublemaker you'll ever meet Jimmy," Dean beamed at them as he made the introductions.

Forcing a smile on his face, Seth reached his hand out to shake his hand, flinching when instead of taking his hand, the guy laughed at him and slapped him on the back aggressively, making him bump his shoulder into Dean, "So formal, I've got to hear about how you hooked up with this one Mox?"

Seth grimaced as he looked at Dean, "Mox?" he asked.

Dean shrugged, "My old nickname from the days we ran with the street gang."

The explanation didn't make Seth feel any better as he could feel Jimmy's eyes roaming his body.  As he turned back towards him, he found him grinning lasciviously over at Dean, "Not bad Mox, I guess I can see why you're attracted to him.  Looks like he works out."

Offended, Seth turned towards Dean, but he seemed to take the statement in stride, responding with, "He owns a gym actually, a very successful one at that.  He's a crossfit instructor too."

Seth preened a bit as he heard the sense of pride in Dean's voice.  Leaning against Dean's shoulder he grinned at him, "Which wouldn't be as successful without all of the promotion you did for us babe."

Dean grinned back at him as he leaned over to brush a chaste kiss across his lips, "I'm not sure about that, but thanks for the credit."

Turning back to Jimmy, who was staring at them with a weird expression on his face, Dean asked, "So what's new with you?  What brings you back to town?"

Blinking at him, Jimmy looked down at the table before seeming to get himself together and looking back up at him, "Actually, I'm thinking of moving back here.  My brother's company is doing well, but I've been itching to try something new so I decided to come out here this week and just test the waters.  This is home, you know?"

Dean nodded, "Yeah, I get it.  Well, I hope you find something, it would be great to have you around regularly again."

Seth coughed as he choked a bit on the beer he'd just taken a sip of.  Looking at him in concern, Dean asked if he was alright and Seth just gave him a smile and laughed it off as Dean turned back to Jimmy and they started catching up on other friends.

Roman looked over knowingly at Seth as he leaned over and whispered, "You have nothing to worry about man.  Dean's never been this serious about anyone before, not even Jimmy."

Seth looked back at him hopefully, "You think?"

Roman nodded, "I know!" he gave Seth a little shoulder bump, making him feel better, but as the evening wore on, he couldn't help but wonder as Dean's attention was monopolized by his friend, who subtly kept throwing shade Seth's way.  Every time Seth tried to get into their conversation Jimmy dismissed him, implying that he clearly didn't share Dean's interests or understand them.

Sighing, he got up to use the bathroom and as he was washing his hands, he looked up to find Jimmy behind him staring at him.  Turning around with a frown, he asked, "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Just trying to figure out what it is about you that has kept Mox's attention for this long.  Granted, you have a great body," Seth's skin crawled as Jimmy's eyes scanned him from head to toe with a wink.  "However, you're really not his type.  Mox needs someone who can keep up with him in and out of bed.  Something tells me that your goody two shoes self has never had to work a day for anything.  You've never been out on the streets, struggling just to get a bite to eat.  I bet mommy and daddy paid for everything you've ever gotten, including this gym.  Eventually Mox is going to grow tired of your prim and proper life style and he's going to be looking to get back out on the wild side."

"And I take it you'll be right there waiting huh?" Seth asked sarcastically.

Jimmy just smiled at him, "Dean and I would already be together if I hadn't moved out of state.  If it hadn't have been for our demons we never would have broken up in the first place."

Seth just laughed at him, "From what I hear, Dean could have taken you back anytime, but he chose not to for a lot of reasons.  Your relationship turned him off of dating for good, but I'm the one who changed his mind about that and that's because we work so well together.  Go ahead and try your best, but Dean isn't going anywhere.  We're happy together and nothing is going to change that," turning, Seth went back to their table, shaken, but trying not to show it.

As he sat down, Dean smiled at him, "Another beer babe?" he asked.

Seth shook his head, leaning over and whispering in his ear, "Actually, I'm not feeling so well babe, do you think we can head home a little early tonight?"

Frowning in concern, Dean nodded, "Sure, just let me settle our tab with the boss two-toned." With a grin, he leaned over and hit Roman's arm, "Uce, Seth and I are going to take off, thanks for the drinks!"

Roman just shook his head at him, "When did I ever say that you get free drinks?"

Dean just grinned at him, making him roll his eyes and wave them off as both Dean and Seth laughed.  Standing up, they were met by a returning Jimmy, who frowned as he asked, "Where are you going?"

"We're going to call it a early night," Dean explained.  "But if you have time, let's try to do lunch before you leave or swing by the bar this weekend.  I'll be up here tomorrow and Saturday night."

As they walked away, Seth glanced back to find Jimmy glaring at him.  Sending him his own glare, Seth leaned into Dean, who promptly put his arm around him.  As they settled into the car, Seth vowed that he wouldn't let that annoying twink take what was his.

 

 

 

 


	2. Chapter 2

"Okay, time to spill!" Seth jumped as Marek appeared at his side, making Seth pause in the aggressive workout he'd been taking part in, slamming his body around as he stomped from station to station.

Looking up at him in confusion, Seth asked, "Huh?"

"I've been watching you stomp around for the last hour.  Clearly something has you pissed so come on, let it out so you can stop scaring away our customers!" Marek encouraged him.

Seth sighed as he let himself fall back on the bench, his arm covering his face, "Someone, not something."

Grabbing a chair, Marek pulled it up next to him and sat down, waiting patiently for him to get it out.

"Dean's fucking ex is a fucking asshole!" Seth hissed.  "The fucker cornered me alone last night to tell me how wrong I am for Dean and how as soon as he loses interest in me, he's going to be right there waiting for him!"

Marek continued to stare patiently at him as he asked, "You believe him?  Do you really think Dean would have asked you to move in with him if he was getting ready to slide on out of the door?"

"No," Seth mumbled quietly.  "But what if we do end up drifting apart?  What if he's right and our differences cause a big divide between us?  What if I'm not enough for him?"

"Hey," Marek leaned over and punched his arm.  "I've spent a lot of time with you two and I don't see Dean losing interest in any way. That guy looks at you like you're his everything.  You told me yourself that Dean didn't do relationships, but it took him no time at all to open himself up to you and to commit to you.  That should tell you something.  Seems to me that it's your differences that make your whole thing work.  You finally stopped looking for a carbon copy of the guys your parents told you that you should be with.  Yeah, you and Dean had very different upbringings and you have your own interests, but they complement one another."

Seth perked up a bit at his words, looking up at him earnestly, "You really think so?"

"I do, but what do you think?  I mean deep down inside there," he gestured at Seth's chest.

Closing his eyes again, Seth took a minute to really look inside of himself and all he could see was Dean's smiling face lighting up when he paid him a compliment and giggling when Seth did something he found funny.  Opening his eyes back up he grinned up at Marek, "He loves me."

Marek grinned back at him, "There you have it!  Now can you stop abusing your body and help me come do some actual work here.  I mean if you have to get physical, at least spend your time teaching a class!"

Seth just waved him off as he went to clean up, but later in the day when he entered the office, he brought Marek his favorite sandwich, dropping it off with a thanks as he gave him a half hug and then popped back out to his own office. 

Inside, he started to eat his own lunch before grabbing up his phone and calling his boyfriend.

 _"I thought I told you not to call me here!"_ Dean answered with a whisper.

Grinning, Seth quipped, _"Isn't it time you left that man of yours and ran off with me?  I promise to make it worth your while!"_

There was silence on the other end of the line for a moment before Dean shared, _"I think I'm going to need a test run first.  Why don't you get that sweet ass of yours on over here and show me what you've got!"_

His cock showing some interest at just the thought, Seth adjusted himself as he contemplated taking off early.  He knew Dean had the day off and didn't have to be anywhere until his late shift at the bar.  Deciding to go with it, he whispered lustfully, _"Better get ready for me babe, I'm on my way!"_ as he hung up.

The second he walked back into Marek's office with pleading eyes, his friend began to laugh, "Let me guess, your boy toy has somehow convinced you to drop everything and go home to ride the D-train."

Seth glared at him, "Don't be crass and don't call him that!"

Marek just raised his eyebrows at him until Seth broke, "Fine!  I may be thinking about leaving early to go spend some time with my boyfriend, who I might add, has been very supportive of our whole deal here even though I've spent more time here than in the brand new house we got together just a few weeks ago."

Marek just rolled his eyes at him as he moved his hands in a swishing motion, "Go!  I think you need a little time with him to remind you of how well you work together anyways."

Seth beamed at him, "I promise I'll put in some extra work next week and give you a little break!" he squealed before basically running out, making Marek just shake his head. 

He loved Seth, he really did, but sometimes he could be exasperating and this was one of those moments.  He just hoped Dean could bring him the reassurance he needed.  He'd watched his friend's heart break one too many times over the years and he really didn't want to have to revisit that yet again.

...

"Damn!" Seth groaned as he fell onto the living room floor, stretched out on his back after Dean pounded him through a earth-shattering orgasm on top of their glass coffee table, which was surprisingly sturdy as it supported the weight of the two well-built men.

"No you don't!" Dean snapped as he pounced back on him, drawing his legs back around him as he easily slid back into his entrance.  "Did you really think you were going to get away that easily without me getting off too?"

Seth laughed at him, "I knew we were going to end up down here anyways, just figured I'd save you the trouble of throwing me down!"

Dean wiggled his eyebrows at him, "You're not wrong two-toned!  Now shut up and let me work here!"

Seth just giggled as he lay his head back and arched his hips, taking everything Dean had to give him as he began to squeeze his muscles, making Dean moan, "Yeah babe, just like that!"  Seth let out his own gasp as Dean's heat flooded inside of him, Seth's name a shout off of his lips.

Seth giggled joyously as Dean collapsed down onto him, their sweaty bodies clinging to one another as they came down from their highs.  "Guess you're feeling better," Dean chuckled. 

Frowning, Seth felt a twinge of guilt.  He and Dean had a open line of communication and had since the very moment that Dean had become his protector at the bar.  He was proud of the trust between them and he didn't feel right breaking that.

As he pushed Dean up and off of him, he twitched as Dean stared down at him in confusion.  Before Dean could say anything, Seth jumped right in, "I wasn't feeling sick last night, I just wanted to get out of there."

Dean scowled at him, "Why? Were you not enjoying yourself and if you weren't, how come you didn't just tell me?"

Seth sighed as he sat up, "I didn't want to cause any trouble, but I don't feel right keeping things from you.  I tried to ignore the way I was feeling about Jimmy all night.  I honestly thought it was just me being jealous of his past relationship with you, but Roman reassured me that I had nothing to worry about so I really tried to see what you two do in him.  I tried to interact with him, but he treated me like I was scum on the bottom of his shoe!  He kept cutting me off and insulting me and kept insinuating that I didn't really know you.  And before you say anything, this wasn't all in my head because he followed me when I went to the bathroom and he told me just that!"

"Told you what," Dean asked curtly, making Seth's stomach drop.

"That you're attracted to my looks, but that eventually you'll get bored and move on.  He implied that we have nothing in common and that I'm a spoiled brat who has had everything handed to him and I couldn't possibly understand what you and him have gone through in your lives," Seth explained.  "He also said that I don't know what you really need in bed and when you realize that, he'll be there waiting.  He thinks that if he hadn't moved that you would have gotten back together a long time ago," he finished meekly as his eyes dropped to the floor.

"Hey!" Dean's hands reached out and tipped his chin back up, forcing Seth to look at him head on, "Jimmy had no right coming at you like that, but are you telling me that you actually bought into any of that?  Haven't I shown you how much I care about you?  Do you think I've been faking all of that?" Dean asked in a hurt tone.

Seth shrugged weakly, "No, but he's not completely wrong.  We are very different and I know sexually, you've done a lot more exploring than I ever have."

Dean sighed sadly, "God Seth, have I failed that miserably at this?  I really thought we'd built something strong here, but maybe I've just been kidding myself!"

"No, you're a great boyfriend babe!  I love all of the little ways that you show me how much you love me," Seth reassured him.

"If that's true, then I don't understand how you could be doubting us!" Dean snapped back.

Seth stared at him for a moment, struggling to gather his thoughts.  Finally, he just found himself rambling as he reached out and grasped Dean's hands in his own, "I've told you about my past relationships.  Every time I got close to having anything real, they up and left me for a variety of different reasons.  It was always something that I did or something that I lacked.  I was never enough for anyone, not even my family.  Randy is the golden child and I'm the screw up," Dean's eyes softened as he listened to him, giving his hands a squeeze as Seth continued.  "But you, you've never made me feel like that Dean!  From the first second that you wandered into my life, you've gone out of your way to show me that I'm enough, that you think I'm worth staying for.  It's almost too good to be true and I wake up every morning praying that I didn't make it all up in my head, that you're really there next to me, ready to start another day together.  Last night, when Jimmy said those words, it just brought up all of those old insecurities because I started thinking, what if one day you do realize that I'm not what you want or need.  You are such a part of me at this point babe, that I don't know what I'd do if I lost you!" once again, Seth dropped his head.

"You are enough Seth.  You are so much more than you give yourself credit for!  I admit that when I first saw you, it was purely physical.  I was drawn to you the second you stepped into the door and if Roman hadn't slowed me down, I probably would have picked you up and had my wicked way with your right then and there on the pool table.  But there was also something in the way you carried yourself that really got to me.  And when I heard your friends talking about how you'd been hurt in the past and that they thought you'd been dumped again, it made me mad.  I was angry that anyone could treat you that way and I found myself wanting to defend you, wanting to protect you.  I don't think what I did even registered, I was just there in front of you kissing you and the second our lips met, I was lost.  There's something inside of me that recognized what was inside of you and it just works.  Yeah, we have our differences, but I think they make us stronger," Dean stated emphatically.  "I wasn't looking for a relationship babe, but you and your two-toned goodness put some kind of a spell on me and it was so easy for me to slide into that role with you.  I wanted to keep you and I wanted to be kept by you.  You give me everything I need Seth.  You're so supportive of both of my jobs, you've welcomed Roman into your life with open arms and you listen to me and take care of me whenever I need you to.  And the sex babe, god the sex is phenomenal!  You never have to worry about keeping me satisfied.  No one has ever kept up with me the way you do and you're always open to any ideas I may have.  I love you Seth, all of you and I'm hoping that you'll be in my life for a long time to come!"

Overcome by his words, Seth launched himself from his seat into Dean's lap, throwing his arms around his neck and holding on tight, "I want that too!  I love you so much Dean," he nuzzled against him.  "I'm sorry I let him get to me."

Dean lay a kiss on his forehead, "It's alright, babe.  We all have insecurities we have to deal with, but next time you have any doubts, please just come to me, alright?"

Seth nodded, "I will, I promise."

Looking over at the clock, Dean swore, "Damn, I've got to get to the bar.  Want to come with me?"

Seth sat back, grinning at him, "Yeah, that sounds good!  The boys were all busy last night, but maybe I can coax them out to meet up with me tonight instead."

Dean stood up and held his hand out, bringing Seth back to his feet as they headed upstairs to get ready to go out.

...

The bar was hopping as Dean bounced from one end of the counter to the other, taking orders as he went.  Every once in awhile he'd shoot Seth a grin or a wink as he looked over at what Seth considered his table.  He was content to sit back and watch his boyfriend work, but before long his view was blocked by his arriving friends, their loud chatter bringing a grin to his face as Sami, Finn, Xavier and Tony slid into the other seats.  

Moments later, Marek joined the party, sitting down next to Seth as he leaned over and whispered in his ear, "Judging by that glow on your face, looks like Dean helped reassure you."

Seth whispered back, "I told him everything and we talked about what we are to one another and what we want."

Marek patted him on the back, "I'm glad for you man.  It's great to see you so happy."

"Trying to steal my man babyface?" Dean's voice rang out as he popped up behind Marek's chair making him jump and Seth to giggle.

Marek scowled at him, "Back off boy toy!"

Grabbing a chair and sliding down into it backwards, Dean and Marek continued to exchange gentle insults as the rest of the gang jumped in.  Seth just sat back and watched with a grin.  He loved the fact that Dean fit in so well with his little group.  These were the people that he'd willingly chosen as family and he wanted them to all get along.

Looking over, he wasn't surprised to find Roman behind the bar, figuring Dean had begged for a short break and Roman never could say no to his friend.  Giving him a little wave, Seth turned back to his friends, sliding himself into the conversation, "Tony, we're not starting an after hours crossfit club!  None of us need any extra workouts."

"Come on, maybe we can have some private lessons!" Tony waggled his eyebrows at him suggestively, making Dean lean over the table and punch him in the chest as he hissed, "Back off my man Hulk!"

Tony held his hands up in submission, "Just checking to make sure things are still going strong between you.  You never know what could happen!"

"Tony, every man on planet Earth could perish tomorrow and somehow it could be just the two of us surviving and I still wouldn't come anywhere near that dick of yours!" Seth snapped, making Dean beam at him and the rest of the guys dissolve into helpless laughter.

"What's so funny?" the unpleasant voice that Seth was already growing to hate interrupted.  He smirked as all of his friends looked up at Jimmy with bulging eyes as they took in his appearance.  

"Nothing you would understand!" Seth shared nastily.  

Trying to hide his amused smile, Dean greeted his friend and rose to his feet, "Let's go get you a drink J and we can talk," Dean's eyes met Seth's as he gave him a nod, letting him know that he was going to talk to Jimmy about his behavior.

As he watched the pair joke around with Roman, Marek leaned over towards him, "You're right, he's a prick!"

Sharing a conspiratorial grin, they laughed as Seth's other friends jumped in.  "That's the ex?" Xavier asked.  "Dean definitely moved up on the ladder didn't he!"

Seth grinned as Sami seconded his words and Finn chimed in with, "Ya don't have anything to worry about there.  Dean can't take his eyes off of ya man.  And judging by how much ya seem to be getting under his skin, I'd say that guy already knows it too!"

Having his friends have his back made Seth feel pretty great, but they were all surprised when Tony got in on the act as well as he slammed his fist into the table, "He better not try to mess with you two or he'll have to answer to us!  Everyone knows you and Dean belong together and that twink will figure it out eventually."

His head dropping into his arms on the table as his body shook with laughter, Seth tried to get himself together, but he could hear the giggles coming from the rest of his friends and it just set him off again.  Finally, raising his head again, his eyes met a amused Dean's across the room. 

As Dean threw him a kiss, Seth threw one back, making Jimmy scowl and throw Seth a death glare, but it didn't really even register with him.  He knew that he was Dean's top priority now and nothing and no one could shake his faith again!

 

 

 

 


	3. Chapter 3

Seth woke up the next day with a smile on his face.  He'd enjoyed spending time with Dean and their friends at the bar the previous evening and even Roman had come over to hang out for a bit once things had calmed down.

The best part had been that after speaking with Dean, Jimmy had stormed out, throwing Seth a evil glare as he exited, making his friends wink at him as Dean made his way back to them. 

As Dean slid into the seat next to him, he leaned over and whispered in his ear, "He won't be bothering you anymore.  I made it very clear what you are to me and that if he wants to remain friends that he's going to have to treat you with respect."

Seth beamed up at him, "Thanks babe!" he whispered back.

They'd come home home and made love, the act holding even more weight after making it clear on where they stood with one another.

Sitting up, Seth stretched a bit before looking down at his sleeping boyfriend, reaching out and lovingly caressing his cheek before getting up and getting ready to head to the gym, leaving a note for Dean and grabbing a breakfast bar on his way out the door. 

There was a extra bounce in his step as he headed into his office.  Not only were things going well with Dean, but his and Marek's two new hires were starting that morning and he was hoping that they'd catch on quickly, opening things up for him and Marek to not have to spend as much time there as they were.

A few hours later and he was still feeling pretty positive.  Bo, although a bit too cheerful for him, seemed to be doing well with the computer systems and chatting up new members and Cody still needed a little work with the systems, but he'd already sold three memberships since he'd been there, his boyish good looks drawing in those of both sexes.

After sending them to lunch, he ended up in Marek's office discussing the pair with him as they ate their own quick meal.  In agreement that they were both impressed with them, Marek turned the conversation back to Seth, "So things are all good with Dean now?"

Seth grinned widely as he nodded, "Yeah, he told Jimmy to back off and then he showed me just how much he cares for me when we got home last night."

Marek just rolled his eyes at him, "I'm happy for you, really, but details won't be necessary!  Listen the wife and kids are at her mom's visiting this weekend so I don't have anywhere I need to be.  I know I usually leave earlier on Saturday's, but if you want to go home to Dean, feel free!  I think the guys and I can handle a few more hours."

"Really?" Seth asked excitedly.

Marek nodded, "Yeah, you were right when you said that you've spent more time here than in your new home.  I figure with our day off tomorrow, that will give you and Dean some extended time together to enjoy."

"Thank you!" Seth jumped up, leaning over to hug him as he flew out of the office.  He thought about texting Dean, but if he knew his boyfriend, he was probably just laying around the house until he had to go to work later and Seth kind of wanted to surprise him.

Pulling up to the house, Seth grinned as he bounced out and up the stairs, opening the front door.  As he kicked off his shoes, he didn't see the eyes peering around the doorway at him.

As Seth turned to head up the stairs to look for Dean, he suddenly heard voices coming from the kitchen, making him head towards them.

"I'm so glad you invited me over Mox!  I really want us to work this out too," Seth shuddered at the grating voice.  Why the hell would Dean have Jimmy over after what had happened.

As Seth made it to the doorway, he was readying himself to try to stay calm until he could talk to Dean alone, but his thoughts spiraled as he looked up and froze.  Right in front of him, his boyfriend was locking lips with the fucking twink, Jimmy's hands holding Dean's head possessively as he pulled back and looked up at Seth, faking surprise.

"Oh fuck, this isn't what it looks like!" he said snidely.

Spinning around, Dean's eyes rose to Seth's widening in alarm as he watched Seth's body begin to shake in anger, his eyes deadening and his voice lifeless as he robotically stated, "I want you gone.  You can come get your stuff when I'm at work and in the meantime I'll try to find somewhere else to stay until we can sell this place.  You can stay here after that if you want," turning Seth walked away, headed for the stairs.  

Letting Seth go for the moment, Dean spun around on Jimmy, "What the fuck was that?  I thought I made it clear that I wasn't interested in anything beyond friendship with you!  I love Seth, he's the one I want to spend the rest of my life with.  Fuck!  I need you to go, now!"

Reaching out and grabbing his arm, Jimmy pleaded with him, "I'm sorry Mox, I guess I misunderstood when you said that you wanted to see me.  I thought that you'd changed your mind. I'm sorry if I overstepped my boundaries!  I hope you and Seth can work things out, I just want you to be happy," Dean shook off his hand as Jimmy tried to pull him in for a hug.

"J, I need you to go right now.  We'll talk about this later!" Dean ordered.

After letting Jimmy out, Dean sighed as he headed upstairs, determined to make things right with Seth.  As he hit the bedroom door, he could hear Seth slamming things around, his sobs plunging a knife right into Dean's chest.

Opening the door, he frowned as Seth stood in the center of the room with his back turned, his head hanging down as his tears hit the floor below, "Just go Dean!  I can't do this right now!"

"Seth, babe, this is all wrong!  Jimmy grabbed me before I even knew what was happening!" he tried to explain.

Seth just shook his head, "But you didn't push him away," he said sadly.  "You said I was enough, why wasn't I enough?" Seth's voice broke as he began to sob heavily again.

Striding forward, Dean lay his hand on Seth's trembling back, "You are enough!  Don't ever let anyone make you think otherwise!  I asked Jimmy to come over because I still had some things to say to him that I didn't really feel comfortable sharing in public.  I guess I wasn't clear enough though because he apparently thought I'd changed my mind about giving him another chance and he just attacked me out of nowhere.  I wasn't expecting it and it took a second for me to move to push him away, but he was already pulling back from me."

"From my end it looked like you were enjoying it!" Seth snapped, finally turning around to meet Dean's eyes head on, Dean wincing at the anger and sorrow he found there.

Dean shook his head, "You said you believed me yesterday when I told you how much I loved you.  Are you telling me now that was a lie?  Do you still not trust me?  Not trust in our love?"

Seth's body continued to shake as he turned around and moved to sit down on his bed, "He kissed you!"

Dean sighed as he dropped to his knees in front of him, "I know, babe, I know it looks bad!  I would have thought the same thing if I'd walked in on you kissing someone else, but after the initial surprise and anger, I'd know that you wouldn't do that to me.  You want to know why I don't want Jimmy back?  It's because he fucking cheated on me!  I could have forgiven him for the drugs and for the life that I'd gotten him mixed up in.  I would have been willing to try once he got clean, but I couldn't forgive him for turning to someone else, for tearing my heart out and stomping on it like it was nothing!"

Seth shook his head, "But you did!  You fucking let that piece of trash into our house and you let him touch you!  What the fuck am I supposed to think?"

Starting to get angry himself, Dean rose to his feet, beginning to pace, "You're supposed to give me the benefit of the doubt, to give me a chance to explain.  You're supposed to have some faith in me and our relationship!"

Suddenly, the conviction in his words began to sink into Seth's brain as he quietly shared, "I want to, I really do, but I've been here so many times Dean.  I've had to sit back and watch one person after another move onto someone else.  I just can't do that again."

All of the fight left Dean's body as he headed over to their closet, reaching inside to pull down a small locked box that held his important papers and pulling out a small square box, which he turned and threw into Seth's lap, "Is that enough to convince you about how serious I was about this, us?  I was saving it for our first anniversary, but I'm not sure there's even going to be one now!  I need some time to myself so I'll go stay with Ro after work tonight," he shared defeatedly, grabbing a jacket as he headed out, leaving Seth in stunned silence.

As the door slammed below and the car started up and pulled out of the drive, Seth's trembling hands reached over and picked up the box, popping open the lid to reveal a simple black titanium band.  As the realization of what he'd done finally hit him, Seth let out a scream, tossing the box at the door as he collapsed back onto the bed.

Once again, he'd more than lived up to his reputation as a screwup! 

 


	4. Chapter 4

"You know you're just letting that little fucker win, right?" Tony was surprisingly vocal about his desire to see Seth work things out with Dean.

Seth had fled to Marek's house after Dean walked out and proceeded to unload everything on him which had resulted in him getting their other friends over for more "moral support", which for the most part had really meant copious amounts of alcohol, a lot of teasing and the occasional flash of actual advice.

"You seem pretty invested in this Tony, I thought you'd be happy to see me split with Dean," Seth inquired curiously.

He just shrugged at him, "I'm not saying I won't be here if you want a rebound spin on Cesaro mountain, but you two are good together.  He makes you happy and I think I speak for all of us when I say that's what we want for you."

Seth rolled his eyes, but then reached over to pat him on the shoulder, "Thanks man, really, but how am I supposed to get him back after this?  I ruined everything!"

Finn just shook his head at him, "Tha first thing ya need to do is stop feeling sorry for yaself and go apologize to him."

Marek and Sami agreed as Sami stated, "You need to show him that you trust him, prove that you are in this for the long haul."

Seth winced at his words as he threw himself back on the floor they were sitting on, "He wanted to marry me, fucking marriage!  He's not just going to take me back now after I showed that I wasn't as confident in us as he was!" he whined.

"You got him to understand where you were coming from the first time around, now you just need to try again, but step your game up a bit!  If all else fails, strip down and jump on his dick and when he's nice and distracted, just tell him it all over again!" Marek stated with a smirk, making Seth punch him in the shoulder.

Marek threw up his hands, "Hey, I'm just saying that it worked for you two the first night, right?"

Seth just threw him the finger as he lay back down, his head spinning.

"Hey," Seth's eyes focused back on his friend as his tone got serious.  "Don't just let this one go Seth.  You need to stay and fight because Dean is the first person that I've seen you truly happy with.  Don't let that asshole drive a permanent wedge between you.  You're miserable and I can pretty much guarantee your boy toy is as well.  Just think about it."

Seth sighed as he reached out for another beer, determined to forget at least for a little while.

...

Roman had known there was something wrong the second that Dean had stormed into the bar long before his shift was scheduled to start.  Luckily, he had Corey there so he was able to grab Dean and pull him and the bag he was carrying upstairs to his apartment.

The second they were behind closed doors, Roman was pushing Dean down on the couch as he said, "Okay, spill it, why are you here with a bag packed and looking like your whole world has ended?"

"Because it has!" Dean moaned as he tossed himself backwards, his feet hanging over the edge of the couch arm.

Picking up his feet, Roman sat down next to him as he poked Dean's side, "What did you do Uce?'

Dean sighed, "Seth walked in on Jimmy kissing me and he flipped out.  I tried to get him to listen to me, but he had no interest in hearing the truth.  He has no faith in us at all."

"Or he just saw his boyfriend locking lips with his ex and is in shock," Roman stated, making Dean sit up and glare at him.  "Want to explain to me why Jimmy was anywhere near your condo after you told him expressly to stay away from Seth?  And then you can tell me how his lips got anywhere close to yours!"

Dean winced at Roman's judgmental tone, "Hey, I would never cheat on Seth!  For the record, I asked Jimmy to come over so we could have a more private chat about my relationship with Seth.  I wanted to make it perfectly clear that there is no chance in hell that I'd ever want to attempt a relationship with him again and I wanted him to know just how much Seth truly means to me.  I wasn't expecting Seth to be home before I went to work and I sure as hell wasn't expecting him to walk in at just the moment that Jimmy decided to go for it!"

Roman rolled his eyes, "And I'm sure he was super sorry and had no idea Seth was walking in at that moment!" sarcasm dripping from his words.

Dean's eyes widened, "What, you think he set it up?"

Roman just stared at him dumbly, "Come on Uce, of course he did!  Jimmy would do anything to get what he wants, you of all people should know that.  I like the guy, I really do.  He's a funny guy and he's loyal, but I wouldn't trust him as far as I can throw him and I thought that was something we were both in agreement about.  The day you let him back into your life, you swore that you would keep him at a distance."

Dean gave another sigh, "I did; I have!  It's not my fault that Seth got off early and walked in on that, but he should have had more trust in me and our relationship!"

"Yeah, how dare he come home early to spend time with his boyfriend who he hardly sees lately and how dare he get mad when he walked in to find the last person he wanted to ever see again latched on to his boyfriend," Roman glared at him.

"I would have given him a chance to explain himself!  I wouldn't have just dismissed him and thrown him out," Dean shouted.

"Are you sure about that?  Do you really think that if you walked in to find Tony wrapped around Seth in your living room that you wouldn't have gone over the edge and probably roughed them both up before storming off?" Roman asked.

"Was the kitchen, not the living room," Dean shared sulkily, making Roman throw his hands up in the air and stand up.

"I give up Uce!  If you want to wallow in your own pity party, then far be it from me to stop it, but you better be over this by the time you come downstairs for your shift," Roman stormed out, leaving Dean to collapse back on the couch, his hand covering his eyes as he tried to stop himself from grabbing a bottle and getting plastered.

He needed a clear head for his shift and besides, he could always drink away his problems afterwards.

...

Roman continued to glare at Dean as he accepted yet another shot from one of their regular customers.  All of his bartenders shared the occasional drink here and there, but he'd lost count of how many times he'd looked over tonight to find Dean downing another one.

His mood grew even darker as he watched Jimmy slink into the bar, his faced schooled in a perfect expression of contrition.  Naturally, he made a beeline for Dean, begging for forgiveness as he offered to smooth things over with Seth.  Roman winced as Dean pathetically shared that he and Seth had broken up, making Jimmy's face light up as he leaned over to pull Dean in for a hug.

Roman kept his eyes on the pair as the evening drew to a close, watching as Jimmy bought more drinks for Dean to share with him.  Finally, they were ready to lock up for night, but Jimmy was still there, making Roman grab Dean and pull him aside to the back, "What the hell Uce?  Tell him he needs to go home."

Dean just laughed at him, barely able to keep himself upright, "S'all good Uce, we're heading back to Jimmy's room after we stop at the liquor store."

Roman's hand rose to squeeze his temple as he hissed, "Yeah, that's not happening!  How about you let me lock up down here and you and I go break open some bottles ourselves upstairs?"  Roman had to control a smile as Dean's face lit up and he slapped Roman on the back.  "I knew you'd come around Uce!  Let's do this!" he turned and stumbled his way up the stairs to the apartment.

Turning around, Roman walked back into the bar and addressed Jimmy directly, "I don't know what you thought you were going to accomplish here tonight, but it's not happening on my watch.  Go home Jimmy and for your own sake, stay the hell away from Dean for awhile."

Jimmy glared at him, "Who the hell are you to say what I or Dean can or can't do.  If Dean wants to leave with me tonight there's nothing you can do to stop it!  He doesn't need his attack dog interfering in his life anymore than you already have!"

Roman finally snapped, moving forward and backing the much smaller man up against the wall of the bar as his hands rose to squeeze his throat, "You know, I held my tongue when Dean decided to pursue a friendship with you and I backed off when I watched you flirt with him every chance you got over the years, but there is no way in hell I'm going to sit back and watch you try to rope Dean back into your mess of a life!  You tossed Dean away over and over again whether for drugs or other men so you have no leg to stand on here.  Dean doesn't need you in his life and neither does Seth.  Back the fuck off from both of them or I'm going to show you what a real attack dog looks like!" grabbing the collar of his t-shirt, Roman shoved him out the door and locked up behind him.

His headache worsening, he steeled himself to have to go deal with a angry, drunken Dean who was sure to fight him every step of the way tonight.  All he wanted was to get him settled in the guest room so he could get some sleep of his own. 

As he shut off the lights and headed upstairs, he wondered if Seth's friends were having as rough as a time with him.

...

Marek shoved his wife's pillow over his head, begging for this night to end.  He'd already been woken up by Seth's drunken snores followed by a nightmare that left Seth sobbing in his arms.  Now, just when he'd finally fallen asleep, he was dragged awake by more crying sounds coming from his guest room.

Maybe he should have convinced the other guys to stay and deal with him after all.  With a sigh, he reluctantly dragged himself back to the other room, standing in the doorway as he looked at the pathetic sight of his friend all curled up on one side of the bed, his shoulders shaking uncontrollably.

"Seth, you need to get some sleep.  Everything is going to look better in the morning; I promise.  When you wake up, we're going to get you fed and showered and then you're going to go find Dean and talk to him," Marek gently tried to persuade him.

Seth shook his head, "He doesn't want me anymore.  S'over," he whined.

Deciding that he was getting no sleep tonight anyways, Marek made his way into the room, shoving Seth over and climbing under the covers next to him as he pulled his friend into his arms, "I promise that we're going to fix this.  Please, just get some sleep!"

"You're staying?" Seth's tiny voice made Marek wince as he answered, "Yes, I'll stay with you.  Now goodnight!"

As Seth's head rested on his chest, Marek cursed Dean out, hoping that he was having just as bad of a night as he was!

...

Dean moaned miserably as he woke up, the harsh light from the curtain Roman had just thrown back in the guest room piercing his eyes, "Fuck Ro, really?"

"Rise and shine Uce, you've got a match later that you need to get ready for!" Roman's loud, joyful voice announced, smirking as he watched Dean wince.

"Fuck, why did you let me drink so much?" Dean mumbled as he tried to sit up and the room shifted on him, making him drop back down to his pillow.

"Uh huh, you are not putting that on me D!  I'm the one who kept trying to get you to stop and I am the one who made sure you didn't make the biggest mistake of your life last night and go home with Jimmy," Roman snapped back at him.

Dean's eyes widened as he suddenly remembered drinking with Jimmy, "I was going to leave with him?" he asked confusedly.

Roman nodded, "You were on your way out the door, but I managed to convince you that I wanted to continue the party upstairs.  I threw Jimmy out and by the time I got up here you were already passed out on the couch.  I had to drag you in here and get you ready for bed."

Dean groaned, "Thanks Uce!  I'm sorry I put you in that situation man."

Roman shrugged, "It's all good, I know you're hurting D, but getting trashed and actually making the mistake that Seth already thinks you have isn't going to help anyone."

Dean shook his head, "I wasn't going to sleep with him," he stated with a hint of uncertainty.

Roman just rolled his eyes at him, "D, I wouldn't put it past him to pretend to be Seth to get you in his bed.  That's how out of it you were!  He made it pretty clear from what he said to me that his intentions were anything but honorable.  He accused me of being your guard dog and he implied that I'm the one standing in the way of your reconciliation."

Dean sighed as he finally was able to set up without the room spinning, "I'm a fool.  You warned me that he'd mistake my offer of friendship for more, but I thought I knew better, but it's been years Uce, why now is he suddenly trying so hard?"

Roman gave his own sigh as he sat down at the end of the bed, "Because he sees you with Seth, man.  He's never been threatened by any of your one night stands, but he can see what we all see: that you and Seth are the real deal.  He knows that he's been replaced and he can't handle it."

Dean dropped his head into his hands, "How am I going to fix this?"

Roman shrugged, "I don't know Uce, but you need to decide if Jimmy's friendship is worth losing Seth because if you guys can get past this, Seth isn't going to want him around.  He's going to need reassurance that you respect him and his feelings."

Dean nodded, "I don't just want Seth, I need him.  If staying away from Jimmy is what I need to do to prove myself then I will, but Seth needs to meet me halfway.  I need to know that he trusts in me; in us."

"You need to tell him that then.  I know feelings are something you're uncomfortable talking about, but this time you need to lay it all out there Uce or you really are going to lose him for good," Roman shared.

"Alright," Dean sat up, grabbing his phone as he dialed Seth's number, not surprised when he got Seth's voice mail, looking to Roman for reassurance, who nodded at him, Dean took a deep breath and then left a message.

_Hey two-toned, I don't like the way we left things last night.  I think we need to talk.  You pick the time and place and I'll be there, no questions asked.  I love you Seth._

...

Seth woke up still curled up next to his friend, who was still in a deep sleep after having been kept awake half the night.  Gently, he disentangled himself and quietly left the room.

Downstairs, he made a pot of coffee as his mind tried to process the events from the last 24 hours.  He still didn't know how he was going to make things right with Dean, but he agreed with Marek that he couldn't just let Dean walk out of his life.  This thing they had was worth fighting for.

Seth sat there drinking his coffee as his mind ran through possible ways to get Dean to listen to him.  He was so caught up in his thoughts that he didn't hear Marek enter the kitchen until he was slumped into a seat across from him, holding out his phone.

"Your phone was ringing and woke me up.  It was Dean and I think he left you a message.  You need to listen to it and then you need to figure out how you're going to fix this," Marek stated leaving no room for arguments.

Hands trembling, Seth grabbed the phone and opened his voicemail, not sure he wanted to hear what Dean had to say.  Marek watched as a wide range of emotions rushed across Seth's face as Dean's voice echoed in the room.

As he hung up, Seth stared at Marek in disbelief, "He said he loves me and he wants to talk!"

Marek gave him a little shove, "Then what are you waiting for?  Go find him and talk to him!"

Nodding, Seth laughed, "He's got a fight, he'll be at the ring getting ready.  Will you come with me?"

Marek nodded, "Of course!  Now go get dressed!" he smiled as he watched Seth bound up the stairs. 

...

Roman had driven Dean to the gym, a bit worried about his condition still and hoping his friend could make it through this fight.  Along the way, he'd stopped for food and made him down some coffee. 

He called Corey who agreed to join Alexa at the bar so Roman could stick around for support.  Both of them had seen Dean's state of mind the previous evening and were both worried about him as well.

Roman was hanging out chatting with some of Dean's fellow fighters when he looked up and saw Dean standing across the room talking to a smiling Jimmy.  Shaking his head, Roman immediately headed that way.

"J, I can't do this anymore!  You promised me that you were happy being friends, but that's obviously not the case.  I'm sorry that I can't give you what you want, but I love Seth.  I want to be with him and I will be," Dean was in the middle of letting him down gently.

Roman growled as Jimmy's hands rose, gripping onto Dean's arms as he threw on the charm, "D, just give me a chance!  I know that the distance has made things difficult, but I'm coming back here.  We can take things as slow as you need.  Just let me prove to you that I'm not the same person from back then."

Before Dean or Roman could react, their attention was drawn to a loud gasp that came from behind them.  Turning, Dean's color dropped as he saw Seth standing there, his face once again devastated, tears straining at his eyelids.

Raising his hand, Dean moved towards him, but Seth just shook his head as he gasped, "Save it!  I'm done.  Don't contact me again.  I'll let you know when I've moved my stuff out and then you can decide what you want to do.  If you want to stay at the condo, I'll take my name off of the lease," he turned and ran out, Marek chasing after him after throwing Dean a glare of his own.

Turning around, Dean's fist met Jimmy's face before he could react.  As he lay on the floor rubbing his jaw, he glared up at Dean, "You're really going to throw away what we have for that spoiled brat?" he hissed.

Dean's eyes flashed, "That spoiled brat is worth ten of you!  You asked Seth what he could give me outside of his body, well let me tell you: his kindness, his understanding, his undying support, his humor, his compassion and yeah, unbelievable sex!  Stay out of my life and stay away from Seth."

As Roman took a step towards him, Jimmy scrambled to his feet with his hands raised, 'I'm going, I'm going.  You're going to regret this Dean!"

Dean's eyes closed as Jimmy took off, leaving him and Roman alone as the others in the venue looked on.  Sighing, Roman grabbed Dean's arm and dragged him outside.

"Go after him D!" he urged.

Dean shook his head, "I can't leave and even if I could, it's no use.  He has no faith in me anymore.  I fucked it all up."

As Dean stalked off, Roman watched in disbelief.  He'd never seen Dean give up so easily before and he had no idea how to reach him and change his mind.

...

The following week was miserable for all parties involved as Roman and Marek along with Seth's other friends had to sit back and watch Seth and Dean wallow in their misery.

Dean had lost his match and the subsequent one after that, barely putting up a fight at all and earning him a visit from his promoter who warned him that he needed to get himself together or he'd lose the key spot that he'd finally worked his way into.

Seth threw himself into work, refusing to let anyone mention Dean's name around him and making Marek worry as he spent day and night at the office.

He and the others tried to get Seth to go out for drinks, but he'd refused, instead going home to curl up in front of the tv and sleep on the couch like he'd been doing since Dean had left.

Roman was tired of watching Dean slumped out on his own couch and he once again tried to talk Dean into reaching out to Seth, but the man refused, continuing to state that it was over and done with. 

The next night at the bar, he watched Dean flirt with everyone who crossed his path and he worried that before long, Dean would be bedding everything that moved again.  Although Dean had sworn up and down that he was happy with his life before Seth, Roman knew it had been a hollow, lonely existence and he had no intention of sitting back and watching his friend sink back into that hole.

...

Friday night, Seth slunk home begrudgingly after Marek kicked him out of the gym.  He'd barely eaten all week, his appetite shot to hell, but he forced himself to order a pizza and was determined to drink himself into oblivion, but as he sat there mindlessly watching whatever it was on his tv screen, he suddenly sat up stricken as he realized that he'd completely forgotten about his grandfather's birthday party the following evening.

"Fuck!" he drove his fists into the side of the couch.  Grabbing his phone, he dialed Marek's number, who picked up impatiently, "This better be important enough to make me leave my wife who just got home!" he snapped.

Seth just groaned, "Tell me that you're free tomorrow night!"

Marek just laughed at him, "I just told you my wife and kids are home.  We've got plans for the rest of the weekend, why?"

"Shit, my grandfather's annual birthday from hell is tomorrow and I completely forgot about it.  I can't go there alone, man!  How the hell am I supposed to tell them that Dean and I broke up.  Randy's going to give me that smirk and my mom is going to look at me with pity.  Dad's going to say I told you so and my grandfather is going to tell me how disappointed he is that I haven't found my "place in life" at this age," Seth whined.

"You might as well get it over with.  You know it's not going to get any better the longer you wait.  Just tell them up front, stay for a bit and deal with it and then get the hell out of there!" Marek urged, making Seth tear up as he remembered Dean telling him they could take off and do something fun.

"Thanks for nothing!" Seth shared.  "I've got to go," he said hanging up before a annoyed Marek could respond.  Shaking his head, Seth whined, "I'm screwed!"

...

Dean's eyes rose to the doorway as a crowd of guys came in, laughing loudly as they took over what he thought of as Seth's table.  Shaking his head, he tried to tell himself to let it go. 

He needed to move on.  He'd let himself fall into the trap that he'd vowed to never enter again.  He should have never let himself fall for Seth in the first place, to place himself out on that ledge again.  Sex with no strings was the way to go and he'd just lost sight of that.

Sighing, he began to wipe down the bar, looking at the clock.  Corey had some kind of family thing he'd needed to be at today and Dean had offered to take his early shift and time was dragging.  Now he knew why he enjoyed his evening shifts so much!

With Alexa tied up at another table, Dean went over to the guys and took their order, heading back over with it in record time.  As he dropped them off, he caught the tail end of the conversation as one of the guy's shared what must have been a humorous tale about a family birthday party. 

As Dean headed back behind the bar, he suddenly dropped the rag that he was holding in his hands as he froze.  Roman just happened to be heading out from the back and saw Dean's look of shock.

"D, everything okay?" he asked, concerned.

Raising stricken eyes to his friend, Dean shook his head, "No, it's not!  Seth's grandfather's party is tonight.  He was so upset about having to go.  He hates those things and they always make him feel like crap.  I told him I'd be there for moral support and that we could cut out early.  Do you think he's going to go alone?  They're going to eat him alive when they find out we broke up!"

Raising a eyebrow at him, Roman clapped Dean's shoulder, "Sounds like a serious problem there Uce, now what are you going to do about it?"

Roman's words echoed in Dean's head as he stared at him blankly.

...

Seth tried to get his trembling under control as he pulled into the driveway of his grandfather's mansion.  He still had no idea how he was going to get through this, but he knew that skipping it would only make things worse. 

Closing his eyes and taking a deep breath, he stepped out and made his way inside, instantly meeting up with his mom, who drew him in for a hug and asked him where Dean was.

Before he could say anything, Randy was suddenly at her side, smirking at him as he shared, "Lose another one brother?  Let me guess, this one got bored with you too!" he laughed, heartily.

Glaring, before he could even think about it, Seth was snaring back at him, "He had to work.  He'll be here a bit later!"

"Oh good, I'm dying to meet the man who decided our Seth was worth sticking around for," Seth winced at his grandfather's booming voice.  "Besides, anyone who can impress Hunter has got to be worth meeting, right?" he laughed as his son joined the group.

Seth sighed as his father patted his back, "Glad to hear that you haven't driven this one away, son!  I'd hate to see you alone and miserable once again."

Mustering up a confident smile, Seth interacted with his family, answering questions about his work as he tried to ignore his brother's glare.

As the evening wore on, Seth found himself trying to escape a number of boring conversations with his grandfather's friends.  He debated on whether or not he could slip out now and avoid the inevitable confrontation when Dean didn't show.

Before he could escape, Vince was back at his side, throwing his arm around him as he offered him a drink, "I've got to say, this man of yours isn't really impressing me so far.  What kind of guy leaves his significant other hanging?  You'd think he wasn't eager to spend time with your family?  Or is it something else boy?  Did you two have a fight?"

As his parents and brother watched on with disappointment, Seth opened his mouth to respond, but before he could say anything, a arm was suddenly thrown around his shoulder as a kiss was dropped on his cheek, the voice he'd been missing like crazy ringing out next to him, "Hey babe, sorry I'm late, but Corey's family thing ran a bit longer than he thought it would."

Seth stared at Dean in disbelief, his mouth opening and closing like a goldfish out of water.  Giving his shoulder a little nudge, Dean threw him a pleading look until Seth recovered and caught up with him.

Voice breaking a bit, Seth answered, "S'alright, as long as you made it.  I'm, I'm glad you're here."

As Dean turned towards Vince, he stuck his hand out towards him, "Mr. McMahon, it's great to finally meet you.  Seth has told me so much about you."

Vince shook his hand firmly as he quipped, "I'd like to say the same, but my grandson is pretty tight-lipped about his conquests."

"Probably because none of them ever last," the sarcastic voice from behind him made Dean turn around with a glare, eyeing up the smirking man behind him.  Smirking back, he drawled, "You must be Randy," he let the fact that he was unimpressed shine through, making Hunter grin beside him.

Striding forward, he hit Dean on the back as he laughed at him, "Good to see you again Dean!"

Dean nodded back, "You as well sir.  Things are going well I hope."

Hunter grinned, "Can't complain.  How's the fighting/bar scenes going?"

As the pair caught up, Stephanie moved to Seth's side, having seen something in his expression that no one else has noticed.  Drawing him aside, she gave Seth a hug as she whispered, "I don't know what's going on with you two baby, but the fact that he's here to support you should tell you all you need to know.  I like who you are when you're with him.  Don't throw that away and don't let your brother's sour attitude get to you."

Touched, Seth hugged back as he whispered back, "Thanks mom!"

Still a bit dazed, Seth stood by quietly as Dean and his grandfather discussed MMA and his sponsorship, Dean making it clear that he wasn't looking for any preferential treatment.  To Seth's amazement, his grandfather seemed pleased with Dean's responses and before he knew it, Vince was wandering off, stopping to give Seth his nod of approval.

Just when he thought he might get a second to talk to Dean alone, his brother was suddenly slithering back to his side, clearly looking to start more trouble.

"My parents tell me you've been really supportive of Seth's little gym project Dean," Randy shared, emphasizing the "little." 

With a insincere smile, Dean shared, "I helped drum up some early business, but Seth and Marek are the ones who have really taken the place to a whole new level.  I wouldn't be surprised that by this time next year there's a chain of them on every corner!"

Seth's chest puffed up at Dean's vote of confidence, but his brother wasn't finished trying to bring him down, "Maybe, but Seth isn't exactly known for sticking with anything.  I'm betting he'll be on to his next project by then.  Anyways, you won't have to worry about it because I'm sure you'll have long moved on by then."

"Enough!" Seth's eyes widened at Dean's furious tone.  "You may get away with insulting Seth in front of the rest of your family, but you are not going to do it in front of me!  Yeah, maybe it's taken awhile for Seth to find his place in life, but he has and he's damn good at what he does.  He deserves every good thing that's coming to him, but I'm sure that's not something that an entitled jackass like you can understand!  Come on babe, you owe me a dance!" Dean grabbed a shocked Seth's hand and drew him along with him out to the dance floor.

As Dean pulled him into his arms, settling Seth's head into his chest, he whispered, "I'm sorry for making a scene, but I'm not sorry for putting that dick in his place!"

Seth shook his head, sniffling a bit as he whispered back, "No, it's about time he got what's coming to him!  Thank you Dean, for that and for being here.  I know you didn't need to do this for me, but I appreciate it," Seth squeezed himself tighter against Dean, drinking in what he believed to be his last chance to be in his arms.

"I wasn't going to let you go up before the firing squad alone.  It shouldn't have taken me this long, but Roman managed to talk some sense into me.  I don't know what's going to happen after this, but just know that I'm here for whatever you need," Dean shared, laying a kiss on his forehead.

Surprised, Seth drew back, staring into his eyes, "Are you saying that you're not just here to save me, that you want to work on us?"

Dean just smiled back at him, caressing his cheek, "If you'll give me a chance two-toned.  What do you say?"

Shaking his head, Seth's face lit up, "Of course I will!  I'm so sorry D, I never meant to make you think that I didn't trust in you or us.  I was just so hurt when I saw you and then at the ring..."

Dean cut him off, "He showed up at the fight without my knowledge and I was in the middle of tossing him out of my life when you showed up babe.  You can ask Roman if you don't believe me.  I don't want him Seth; I never did.  Roman warned me years ago to not let him get too close, but I really believed that he was fine with us just being friends.  I'm sorry."

Seth sighed as he moved back against Dean's chest, mumbling, "I believe you.  I love you Dean and I was so scared to lose you.  I've never had something this important or special before and the thought of being without it drove me crazy.  I really thought I'd screwed up things forever and then when I saw him with you again, I thought that I was getting what I deserved."

Dean gave him a little shake, stating emphatically, "You're just as special to me babe.  You've done nothing to deserve any type of payback, alright?  Why don't we agree that we both made some mistakes and screwed up.  Now we just need to figure out how to keep it from happening again.  I love you Seth and I'm willing to try to fix this if you are."

Forgoing a vocal response, Seth just reached up and drew Dean's mouth down to his, kissing him with the same level of passion that Dean had first shown him all those months ago at the bar. 

...

Setting his hands on Seth's waist, Dean's hooded eyes peered up at him as he worked himself up and down on Dean's cock. 

True to his word, after their dance, Dean had helped him sneak out of the party, the pair ending up at Dean's favorite ice cream parlor, pigging out on a giant mix of flavors as they fed one another, giggling throughout.

Afterwards, they'd ended up at the park near their house, walking around the trail in the dark, their hands clinging tightly to one another as they talked quietly about what had gone wrong and how they could fix it.

Satisfied that they were on the right path, they made their way home, Dean shooting Roman a text letting him know that he'd be by to pick up his stuff the following day and getting a thumbs up in return.

Seth had barely gotten the front door shut before Dean was picking him up in his arms and carrying him upstairs, not even bothering with turning on the lights as he tossed him on the bed and pounced.

They'd gently rid one another of their clothes and Seth had taken control, determined to show Dean just how much he'd appreciated him taking the first step.  He'd made love to him, making sure to appreciate every part of Dean's body that he'd come to love and know so well.

It was a reaffirmation of their love for and commitment to one another, but Seth should have known that it wouldn't be enough for his eager boyfriend and sure enough, he'd quickly found himself up on all fours as Dean drove wildly inside of him before rolling them over to give Seth the reigns again.

Now as Seth felt his climax approaching, he threw his head back with a moan, his movements growing quicker and more erratic as Dean suddenly flipped them again so Seth was now on his back and he took them both back over the edge.

Later, as their bodies cooled down and they recovered their breath, Dean's voice rang out in the quiet room, "I think we still need a little time and we definitely need to do some more talking, but one of these days and soon, I will make you my husband!"

Seth let Dean's pronouncement hang in the air, but as he snuggled into Dean's chest, Dean could feel his smile pressed against him and he gave a pleased sigh, his arm tightening around what was his and would always be his if he had anything to say about it.


End file.
